At this moment in time, the vast majority of books don’t become audiobooks. However, the tide is slowly but surely turning. Authors are realising that having their books narrated in an audio format opens up a whole new world of opportunities.
In fact, audiobooks are enjoying somewhat of a boom. According to research carried out by Deloitte, the global audiobook market grew by 25% to £2.6 billion in 2020. Hardly surprising given how many of us were trapped in our homes over that year looking for new forms of entertainment!
But despite the pandemic-inspired boom, audiobooks are here to stay. It’s now the case that if you don’t have your book narrated in an audio format, you will be left behind by those authors that do.
Don’t believe me? Let’s take a look at five compelling arguments that make the case better than I ever could.
#1: Tap Into the Fastest Growing Publishing Channel
As I’ve already mentioned, audiobooks represent the blue-eyed boy of the publishing world. Their growth is comfortably outstripping everything else in the publishing world. For instance, today, more audiobooks are sold than eBooks. So all that effort you put into making your book Kindle-friendly would have been better spent on audiobook narration.
The reason being that audiobooks solve that age old problem in publishing – you can access them pretty much anywhere.
While eReaders such as the Kindle allowed you to take several hundred books with you at once, you still had to carry a physical device to read them. By comparison, audiobooks can be listened to in pretty much any setting. The growth of home-based smart speakers is further fuelling their expansion, with many listening to stories as opposed to the radio.
#2: Audiobook Narration Opens Up Your Work To Those Who Can’t Read
It might sound obvious, but there are hundreds of millions of people across the globe who can’t read. In some cases, these individuals don’t have time to physically sit down and read a book and would rather listen to something they can consume on-the-go. In other cases, dyslexia, eyesight problems, or slow reading makes a book seem like a chore.
Converting your work into an audio format fixes all of these problems, and the potential “pie” or readers becomes far larger than if you were to only publish your book in reading formats.
#3: Protect Your Book Against Going Viral
It’s every author’s worst nightmare. Imagine releasing your book, achieving respectable sales, and then suddenly a celebrity tweets about your book – cue pandemonium. Suddenly every bookshop from here to Timbuktu has run out of stock, and your publisher can’t arrange another print run for months.
Instead of living in the hope of your book “going viral”, you’re left cursing your decision not to make a downloadable digital audio version that will never run out! Don’t miss out on the chance to capitalise on your five seconds of fame. Of course, it won’t happen with every book. However, it could literally be a life-changing decision.
Think of it as an insurance policy against virality. I know. That is a very 21st-century problem. But are you willing to take that chance?
#4: Audiobooks Enhance Your Chances of Being Discovered as An Author
Did you know that a new book is added to Amazon every five minutes? That means there are tens of millions of books you’ve got to try and stand out from. Contrast that with platforms such as Audible, which currently lists just over 200,000 books. That’s a massive difference in the odds of people discovering you.
In short, if you are trying to break into your industry niche, then you stand a much better chance of being discovered via an audiobook than you do with a paperback.
Better still, with so few audiobooks (comparatively), whole topics are crying out for audio content. By having your book narrated, you can gain the first-mover advantage over more traditional authors within your niche.
#5: Reach More People By Making Your Book Digital
As I’ve already alluded to, audiobooks are tiny digital files that take up no physical space and are available 24/7. Paired with the right technology, they can be listened to anywhere, any time. It doesn’t matter if you are on a run, driving to work, or doing chores around the house, suddenly you can engage with a book while doing something else.
That capability is opening up books to entirely new audiences. For instance, Nielsen Book found that downloads in the UK are particularly high in urban-dwelling males aged 25 to 44,with the 18-to-24 age group close behind.
These are demographics that have never been associated with strong book-buying habits.
In other words, the increased accessibility of audiobooks isn’t just attracting those who can’t read, but also those who won’t read.
Invest in Audiobook Narration to Catapult Your Book to Success Today
So there you have it – five incredibly compelling reasons for you to have your book narrated in an audio format. If you want to give your work every chance of success, creating an audio version of your book is perhaps the best method to do so, based on the evidence laid out above.
I can offer experienced audiobook narration and production services that comply with ACX standards. My vocal range is both flexible and versatile, and I can adapt my narration style to suit your needs. So if you need an experienced, skilled, female British narrator by your side to guide you through the production of your audiobook, why not head over to my online voice over shop to learn more about my audiobook narration services?
Alternatively, you can send me an email or book a discovery call to discuss your audiobook project in more detail.
I look forward to working with you soon!
Nicky Griffiths